The Christmas hymns of Paul Gerhardt, the seventeenth-century Berlin pastor, stand next to Luther's. They are more subjective, more finished, less direct and forcible. Lacking the finest qualities of poetry, they are nevertheless impressive by their dignity and heartiness. Made for music, the words alone hardly convey the full power of these hymns. They should be heard sung to the old chorales, massive, yet sweet, by the lusty voices of a German congregation. To English people they are probably best known through the verses introduced into the "Christmas Oratorio," where the old airs are given new beauty by Bach's marvellous harmonies. The tone of devotion, one feels, in Gerhardt and Bach is the same, immeasurably greater as is the genius of the composer; in both there is a profound joy in the Redemption begun by the Nativity, a robust faith joined to a deep sense of the mystery of suffering, and a keen sympathy with childhood, a tender fondness for the Infant King. |74| The finest perhaps of Gerhardt's hymns is the Advent "Wie soll ich dich empfangen?" ("How shall I fitly meet Thee?"), which comes early in the "Christmas Oratorio." More closely connected with the Nativity, however, are the _Weihnachtslieder_, "Wir singen dir, Emanuel," "O Jesu Christ, dein Kripplein ist," "Froehlich soll mein Herze springen," "Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier," and others. I give a few verses from the third:-- "Froehlich soll mein Herze springen Dieser Zeit, Da fuer Freud Alle Engel singen. Hoert, hoert, wie mit vollen Choren Alle Luft Laute ruft: Christus ist geboren. * * * * * Nun, er liegt in seiner Krippen, Ruft zu sich Mich und dich, Spricht mit suessen Lippen: Lasset fahrn, O lieben Brueder Was euch quaelt, Was euch fehlt; Ich bring alles wieder. * * * * * Suesses Heil, lass dich umfangen; Lass mich dir, Meine Zier, Unverrueckt anhangen. Du bist meines Lebens Leben; Nun kann ich Mich durch dich Wohl zufrieden geben."[31]{33}